Dhaka: Widespread student-led protests broke out across Dhaka on Tuesday following a fatal jet crash that claimed at least 31 lives and injured over 160 people.
The unrest, centred around Milestone School and College in Uttara — the site of Monday’s crash — quickly spread to key government locations, including the Secretariat.
Anger intensified after it was revealed that most of the victims were students of the institution, prompting public outrage over the continued use of outdated Bangladesh Air Force training aircraft.
Protesters demanded the resignation of the interim government’s Education Advisor, C R Abrar, and Education Secretary, accusing the administration of withholding accurate information about the victims.
Tensions escalated further during a visit by senior government representatives to the crash site. Protesters surrounded Law Advisor Asif Nazrul, Education Advisor Abrar, and Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam, forcing them to take shelter inside a room on the school premises.
Demonstrators insisted the officials be held accountable and pressed for immediate release of an official list of the deceased, compensation details, and a ban on unsafe training flights.
Students also claimed teachers and parents were assaulted on Monday night, allegedly by military personnel — an allegation that the government has promised to investigate.
In a public statement released on social media platform X, Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus said all demands would be considered.
He added that an information centre had been set up at the school to provide verified updates on the deceased, injured, and missing.
“We are arranging compensation, rehabilitation, and trauma support for the affected families,” Yunus said.
“The allegations of assault will be referred to the relevant army authorities.”
According to Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the ill-fated F-7 BGI training jet took off at 1:06 pm local time and crashed into the school building around 1:30 pm on Monday.
The Bangladesh Air Force has not yet issued a statement on the continued use of the aircraft, though public pressure is mounting for a thorough review of safety protocols.
